Creativity in the workplace has become a “must have”. Today we operate in a highly competitive, global environment, making creativity crucial. You might be wondering what does creativity do for a business or organization? It is creativity that keeps your business moving forward with fresh new ideas and innovation. This encompasses more than new products or services, it includes streamlining efficiency and productiveness.
Many people view their jobs as 8-to-5 grind in a cubicle or office, dreaming of the weekends. We often have set tasks that need to be accomplished and often feel there is no time for creativity. Being creative at work generally means taking risks, which can make some people hesitate. Fear of the unknown is powerful, especially if it means you might fail. Boland Jones, CEO PGi Software said: “Creativity leads to productivity.”
Applying creative thinking in your everyday work life will stop the drudgery and you will be able to unlock more meaningful results. Creativity in the workplace is for everyone regardless of their position. Focusing on the big picture, employees become emotionally invested in their work and less fearful of failure.
3 Key Benefits of fostering creativity in the workplace include:
- Creativity Builds Better Teamwork
- Creativity inspires employees to work with each other. The creative process encourages collaboration. Businesses need to encourage the mindset of continuous learning encouraging employees to seek new information, knowledge and new ways to do things.
- Many unique ideas come from just one person but they are molded by a team to become fully formed.
- Creativity Improves the Ability to Attract and Retain Employees
- When creativity is encouraged employees are more content with their jobs and are committed to remaining loyal to the company.
- Creativity Increases Problem-Solving
- With the ability to think creatively and outside of the box, employees are more likely to come up with unique and innovative solutions to obstacles they encounter. This eagerness to solve problems can lead to new ways to accomplish tasks and adds to a more efficiently run business.
The top skill that CEO’s are looking for in skilled workers is creativity. 60% of CEO’s polled, cited creativity as the most important leadership quality, compared with 52% for integrity. The reason creativity is the most valued skill is that it generates a positive impact on the ROI (Return on Investment) and creative people are independent thinkers and innovative with problem-solving.
As a Manager or Business owner in order to foster creativity you need to:
- Never Say No
- When you are in a brainstorming session, or an employee comes to you with an idea, “no” sends a negative message. Find ways to redirect the idea so it can become a “yes answer” It is all too easy to turn down an idea because you think it won’t work, muffling the creative thinkers in your workplace means that innovation will be stifled and the employees will be less likely to continue to come up with new and smart solutions.
- Diversify Your Team
- A variety of perspectives, insights and learning styles accelerate the problem-solving process.
- The way your team works together is more important than the ideas generated. Ed Catmull, the President of Pixar shares how getting the right team is necessary and that it is better to focus on how the entire team is performing collectively together over the individual talents within the team. Catmull emphasizes that “getting the right people and the right chemistry is more important than getting the right idea.”
Creativity increases curiosity and drives the desire to learn. Feed creativity by asking questions, this builds ideas with help and insight from others. Having a clear understanding of strategies that encourage creativity and innovation, managers can foster growth among employees and teams.
“Companies who are creative are more successful” Tucker Marion, Associate Professor, Northeastern University D’Amore-McKim School of Business
Regardless of the industry, there are ways to be creative. For example, in the retail industry, there are ways you can be creative with low-cost solutions that improve customer service. I read once that one company slipped a little chocolate with a handwritten thank you on the receipt when the purchase placed in the bag. For a service industry, there are creative ways to improve processes that speed up efficiency while making employees happier.
Do not sell yourself short, even the craziest idea that you think is completely off can often be the one idea that people latch onto. Employees, do not be afraid to share these ideas with your co-workers and managers it will always end up being a win/win for the organization.
By: Cheryl Viola , Executive Director
Innovation is often associated with creating new products or services in your business. But it can also be about changing the way you do business.
Innovation embraces:
- new technologies and their uses
- improved industry methods
- meeting changing customer demands or needs
- better systems and processes
Your business competitiveness and survival is directly linked to your ability to innovate. But to be successful, innovation needs to be supported by everyone in the business, including you, your staff and any other business partners.
Benefits of innovation
Creating an innovative business culture will ensure everyone in the business is working towards improving business practices, efficiency and performance.
Some of the other benefits include:
- increased competitiveness – offering higher quality products more efficiently and at a lower cost
- improved staff retention – staff like to work in jobs that promote teamwork and problem solving
- proactive approach to business – your business is able to keep up with changes in your industry
- more customers – offering new or improving existing products or services, or entering new markets
- more efficient use of all resources
Your approach to innovation will be driven by your business strategy, capability, market understanding and commitment to the process. Often, these processes will add capacity to your business with little or no additional costs.
Your employees are one of your most productive assets. You can help them become more productive by fostering a culture that encourages creative thinking and action in the workplace. This can inspire your employees to share their knowledge, experience, skills, suggestions and recommendations.
Here are some ways you can promote an innovative environment in your business:
1. Make innovation a core value
You want everyone in the business to recognise the idea that not trying anything new is often the biggest risk.
So, encourage your employees to:
- be honest and open
- share ideas
- explore initiatives without fear of retribution
2. Hire people with different perspectives
When hiring, look for employees who:
- understand your vision
- align with your culture, but aren't necessarily the same as you
- may have different perspectives
- come from diverse backgrounds
- have passions
- have different abilities
Having employees with a different set of ideas or approach to problem-solving will easily generate an innovative approach.
Be open and approachable to new ideas, and set aside spaces for employees to create and share ideas.
Many large companies often allocate time for their employees to break from routine roles to inspire new thoughts. This could be an employee retreat, allocated time each day or a day out of the office.
You can also support innovation by setting up:
- meetings to share ideas
- suggestion boxes
- a suggestion area on the staff intranet
- dedicated times or rooms
4. Encourage collaboration
Create work practices to encourage employees to work together and openly discuss ways to improve. For example:
- allow job swaps that foster new perspectives from different employees
- hold process improvement brainstorming sessions with employees from different parts of the business
- introduce a new ideas or 'what if?' section to your regular meetings
If you can, provide a dedicated area that will promote employee interaction. Ideally, an open space where they can sit and chat in a relaxing environment. Informal discussions often lead to improved employee relationships and trust, which encourages teamwork and leads to innovation.
5. Have a feedback process
Ensure there's a process that everyone understands for assessing each new idea. Employees will be encouraged to suggest or recommend ideas if they're confident that it will be appropriately considered.
Be sure to acknowledge every suggestion in a timely manner and give feedback on the idea.
6. Implement ideas as soon as possible
Put employees' ideas and suggestions into effect as quickly as possible. When employees see they're influencing the direction of the business, they'll be motivated to:
- continue to share ideas
- work towards the success of the idea
- encourage the productivity of other employees
7. Reward employees for their ideas
Use rewards to encourage your employees to suggest all ideas, even if they're not carried out. You can offer these rewards to individuals, teams or the whole workforce.
The important thing is that employees see that you appreciate their efforts to improve the business.
8. Offer training
Offer training to employees that will inspire new thoughts and approaches to the business. Employees will gain experience and the business will benefit from any new ideas and approaches your employee has learned.
Innovation is an investment in the future of your business – not an everyday expense. It might not seem like a priority but having an innovative business will help you:
- keep up with customer demand and industry best practice
- grow your business and increase profits
- motivate your employees
Ideas can only go so far, so make sure you set aside the resources to act on them including:
- time
- finances
- employee support
- leadership